Phantom Destiny
by Vincent von Dreyfus
Summary: Link and Saria have been best friends--maybe more--since Link was really young. Link wakes from a seven year coma to discover Saria is being held hostage in a rundown art museum; but when he saves her, will the secret of Link's past destroy them?
1. The Rescue

**A Note from the Author:** Yeah, my second Zelda fan-fic. This one was originally going to be just one chapter like my other one (Imposter), but because it got really lengthy and because one part was so different from the other, I decided to split this into two or three chapters; probably two, but I haven't finished yet so there may possibly be a third. Anyway, I was asked by ThatFanFicGuy to write a story involving a LinkxSaria pairing, which is terribly under-represented and poorly treated, after he enjoyed Imposter. So this is what I came up with! It's almost like a novelization of a part of _Ocarina of Time_ in a way, but who knows; maybe this will drive me to novelize that game.

Reviews are always welcome and appreciated, and every single one will be read.

OC (c) 2009 Me  
Everything else (c) 1998 Nintendo

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**Part I ~ The Rescue**

The art gallery was cool and damp, remnants of forest fogs from thousands of years still held captive within its dark walls. The paint of many a work of art was faded and cracked, devastated beyond repair by the humidity in the air and the mold growing in the walls. They were almost haunting, the way their morbid depictions of ghosts and spirits decayed like zombies in the murk of the room. As I looked around, Navi all that lit up the abandoned chamber, I sensed something was watching.

Oh, I'm sorry; I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Link, the Hero of Time. I am a Kokiri by birth, or so I thought at the time this was taking place. Turns out I'm really a Hylian; I still can't believe it myself, considering how for 17 years I thought I was a child of the forest. But that's the truth. Despite that, the fairy I got at the beginning of my journey, Navi, continues to faithfully shine at my side, for better or for worse. She and I have been through a lot since we met. We've battled giant bomb-eating dinosaurs, sparred with a Big Octo, even stared down the evil Ganondorf. We've never had a dull moment. Perhaps at this moment, though, the experience that first comes to mind was the circumstances under which my journey began. The very same day that Navi met me, the Great Deku Tree died. It was a tragic event, but I never realized how much it would change my life. With his dying words, the Great Deku Tree, god of the Lost Woods, sent me on a quest that I am still on now. The quest to save Hyrule from Ganondorf and his minions. His death changed the forest too. The other Kokiri, my friends, looked at me with suspicious eyes. Mido, our chieftain, had told everybody I killed him; whether it was me or the arachnid parasite that I killed, I do not know. The Deku Tree kept evil out of the Lost Woods; with him dead, everything changed. Over the course of seven years, monsters invaded our village the Kokiri Forest. Monsters I was familiar with, monsters that I could kill; but it was devastating to the other Kokiri. Worst of all, the ghosts of the ancient caretakers of the Forest Temple came back to life and became possessed by evil.

The Forest Temple... That is where I am now. I loathe it with a passion, for the pains it has wrought upon me; but at the same time, its dark lumber radiates a bizarre sort of tranquility. Perhaps, if it were not a fortress of the undead, I would enjoy it. Intertwined between its mossy passages are scenic courtyards, complete with a babbling brook and shady oak trees. The sun probably once shone in onto these picturesque gardens, but the evil in the temple had brought a cloudy overcast to the Lost Woods that had lasted for days. Now in the shadows of the clouds vicious man-eating Deku Babas bigger than Queen Gohma infest the unkempt grasses of the courtyards, Skulltulas nest in the vines, and Octoroks patrol the waters. What's more, the candle-lit corridors of the temple's galleries are haunted by living skeleton warriors, floating skulls, and giant, dismembered hands that would strangle me if I gave them the chance. But that could almost be predicted; despite how wondrous the Forest Temple might have been back when it was maintained, its bloody past reeks of the undead. Saria, my best friend, used to tell me stories about it.

The Temple of Forest was an ancient relic from long ago, back when the Kokiri and Deku did not quarrel. It was built in honor of the Deku Tree, our guardian deity, much in the way that the Water Temple was built in honor of Lord Jabu-Jabu of the Zoras. It wasn't built only by Kokiri, or by Deku; it was built as a combined effort between the Kokiri, the Deku, and the oh-so-mysterious Skull Kids. It was made to house the greatest artwork in all of Hyrule. For a while it existed in prosperity, during the golden age of the Deku before their great fall. Then tragedy struck, and an art-loving Poe named Jalhalla was unknowingly shipped into the temple in the form of a possessed Shiekhah mask. He came to life and slaughtered the temple caretakers, and the museum was forever abandoned. Jalhalla is long gone, though. I don't know what happened to him, but legends tell of a temple in the mountains between Lake Hylia and the Lost Woods where the King of Poes is said to have retreated. Eerie stories of ghosts haunting the temple have been told ever since. I was once so frightened, I swore I'd never go there.

Yet I was destined to enter the old museum. When I woke up after my seven year coma, an old man named Rauru sent me on a quest to finish what the Deku Tree's had started; my mission was to destroy the evil residing in five temples scattered about Hyrule, one for every major race. A mysterious man named Shiek dropped me a second hint, suggesting I stop by the temple of the Kokiri first. I wasn't in much of a hurry at first; after all, Ganondorf had already seized power and there wasn't any reason to work quickly other than to dethrone him. But Navi soon sensed that Saria was in danger, and then I knew this would be more than I bargained for.

Saria was--and is--my best friend. Maybe even more. Ever since I was a baby she's been looking after me. She's the smartest Kokiri I know; back when the Deku Tree was alive, she used to ask him all sorts of different questions about the outside world. None of the other sheltered Kokiri knew of the rock-eating Gorons, the fish-like Zoras, the extinct Shiekhah, the all-women-sans-one Gerudo, or the proud Hylians. Yet Saria knew. And what's more, a song of her own composition became the only Kokiri-born thing to become a hit outside the Lost Woods. The Gorons love it. I love it too. Saria was always frequenting the ruins of the Forest Temple back before my coma. It was a special place for her; she was born in the Sacred Forest Meadow beneath the temple entrance. Sometimes she'd bring me to her favorite haunt too. Yet Mido always told her, "Hey baby-cakes, if you keep going where you ain't supposed ta, something bad is gonna happen." We used to wave his warnings off. But the moment Navi said Saria was in trouble, I knew what had happened: the Forest Temple had finally taken her.

As I wandered the haunted hallways of the ancient museum, the only thing on my mind was Saria's safety. If she were to die, I would not have the will to save Hyrule. Perhaps the temple would consume me too. Navi was my only comfort; Saria's song, which had long given me the ability to call her from anywhere in Hyrule, now only echoed in the darkness. I pleaded for a sign that she was still alive, yet no sign came. The ghosts of Jalhalla's four daughters possessed the best of the paintings, whispering details of her agony and tormenting me with their amusement. As soon as I got hold of the Fairy Bow (what it was doing in the temple I'll never know) I slaughtered them in rage. Joelle, who spoke of the terrible things she did to Saria; Beth, who told me about her capture; Amy, who mocked her soul; and Meg, the eldest, who described in detail the terror Saria experienced.

And at the basement of the museum I finally arrived at the featured exhibit, the room where all the most famous works of art were stored, the room where everybody wanted to be most when the temple was in function. It was here that Beth had mentioned Saria was being held. The same room where Jalhalla's old mask was displayed, where the tragedy that caused the temple's demise all began.

But anyway, where was I? Oh yes.

The only light in the stuffy room was Navi, fluttering about my head. We were both very quiet; the sense that somebody was watching was impossible to ignore. I knew that somewhere amongst the old paintings was a person; who it was, I did not know. Taking a deep breath, I summoned up all the courage I had and called, "Saria? Saria, are you there?" There was no answer. Somewhere nearby I could hear the tap of something on the tile floor. "Saria? Was that you?" I backed up a little. Things were starting to get scary. "Helloooooo? Is anybody there?" When there was no reply, I thought perhaps that I had been hearing things. "Looks like nobody's here..." I started to walk forward again. Almost immediately my foot tripped on something and I almost fell forward. In the dim light, I managed to make out a stairway in front of me. "I wonder where this will take me?" I asked aloud, beginning to ascend the stairs.

"I don't like this, Link. I don't like this at all..." Navi whispered, a sort of anxiety lingering in her voice. "Something isn't right with this room."

"Cut that out, Navi," I shuddered. "You're making me nervous."

"Don't lie to me, Link, you sense it too!"

There wasn't any use denying it. "Yeah... I guess I do." I stumbled onto the floor at the top of the stairs and started walking forward when there was a loud clicking sound behind me. I spun around and in Navi's light saw that an iron fence had sprung up, blocking me from going back down the stairs. "Uh-oh, Navi, we're trapped..."

A candelabra lit up a few feet away from us. Its flames bobbed up and down, as if the candelabra itself did not have a stable connection to the floor. Navi and I stared at it in a mixture of fear and curiosity when a voice echoed in the room. It was a very familiar voice; the voice of a Gerudo King. "Ha ha ha ha... So, young swordsman, you are alive? When we last met, seven years ago, I did not expect to ever see you again. Yet here you are. Why is it that you have come to the home I granted to the Poe Sisters? Was it jealousy? Or was it just stupidity?"

I spoke to the candelabra as if it were the speaker. "G-Ganondorf, wherever you are, listen to what I am about to say! You've misused the power of the Triforce, and for that you are unfit to rule this land of Hyrule! I have come to do what is right for all those you have tormented over these past seven years: I have come to stop you! And what's more, you've captured she who meant the most to me, my dearest Saria. I demand that you return her, or I swear I shall give you no mercy when we come face-to-face!"

"Saria? The cute little girl from the forest, the one who played that little melody on her ocarina?"

"Yes," I nodded, "that's her."

Ganondorf laughed wickedly. "_Terminated_."

I felt the blood boil in my veins almost instantaneously. I clenched my Master Sword's hilt tightly and drew it threateningly. "_WHAT_!? Come out, Ganondorf, so I can wring your fat neck!!!" Ganondorf continued to laugh. "_SHOW YOURSELF_!!!" I screamed. Suddenly the flames of the candelabra illuminated a face behind it. It was a ghastly-looking skull, with long bony horns sticking into the darkness and with glowing eyes the color of the candles' flames. I faltered in my stance and gulped in fear at the terrifying apparition.

"Silly child," snarled the face, its voice the same as Ganon's. "There _is_ no Ganondorf here!" The candelabra exploded in a burst of flames and the room was lit up, revealing a circular display of several paintings of the Tarm Ruins and other places I'd never seen. A black horse reared into the air directly in front of me and I took a step back in surprise. Its hooves crashed into the floor with such force that it seemed to shake the entire gallery. On its back sat a figure almost identical to Ganondorf, were it not for the chilling skull it had for a head. "My name is Phantom Ganon," it declared, "Lord of the Lost Woods! Saria is my prisoner, and in exchange for her I shall take your life!" Phantom Ganon held out his hand and in a burst of flames a giant staff covered in spikes materialized in his palm. Before I could do anything his horse jumped over my head and vanished into the Tarm Ruins painting.

"Wait, what just happened?" I asked, looking around the gallery for the phantom. "Where'd he go?"

"Link, watch out!" Navi warned. "He's using the same strategy that Jalhalla used on the temple's guardian!"

"What!?"

I turned back around just in time to see purple flames spiraling around one of the other paintings, which depicted a clock tower surrounded by four giants. I only had enough time to get out of the way before Phantom Ganon's horse charged out of the painting and across the room, Phantom Ganon nearly stabbing me with his staff. Before I could do anything to counter, the horse entered another painting--this one of several green lizards on an island. "Navi, what the heck am I supposed to do!?" I cried.

Navi thought fast. "Legends say that the guardian was briefly able to stun Jalhalla by striking him the moment he rolled out of a painting."

"With my sword?" A ring of purple fire spiraled around the Tarm Ruins painting. I ran as fast as I could towards the painting to strike it with my sword, but discovered all too late that a fence kept me from approaching any of the artwork. Phantom Ganon's horse erupted from the painting and I was trampled, crushed between the demon horse's hooves and the hard floor. If it weren't for all the Heart Containers I had found in my journey, I probably would have died. As I weakly pulled myself up from the floor, Phantom Ganon laughed loudly and entered a painting of an egg resting on top of a mountain. "...that didn't work," I groaned.

"Try your bow, Link, fast!" Navi suggested.

"Hey, that might work..." As fast as I could, I reached into my quiver and pulled out my bow and an arrow. I pulled the bowstring back, loaded it with and arrow and looked around. I finally found the purple flames as they encircled a painting of a tower rising from some body of water. Not wanting to give the ghost another chance to rattle my bones, I snapped my fingers open and launched an arrow at the center of the flames. Phantom Ganon's horse screamed in agony halfway out of the painting and spun around back into it. It was a scream that seemed to disrupt the flow of blood in my body, and I felt sick in my stomach. It wasn't gruesome; it was unnerving. I stood where I was for a moment, petrified by the memory.

Navi brought me back to reality, if that's what you'd call the nightmare I've had to live in since I awakened from my coma. "Link, snap out of it!" she cried. "He's coming back!" I pulled myself together and drew my bow. But it was only a second before I faltered. I could see him in the painting; but not just one painting. He was there, grinning madly at me, through every single painting in the collection. Not only that, but his horse was rapidly getting closer. I could see the gleam of the horse's red eyes, staring straight into my soul. And yet as I looked around, I found it impossible to figure out if there was just one of him or several.

"Navi, I can't tell if these are fake or not!" I exclaimed. "Which one's the real guy!?"

"Link, I... I can't tell!"

Phantom Ganon had made me drop my guard. Before I could react, his laughter echoed behind me and his horse galloped past my shoulder. The poltergeist knocked me away with his staff and charged into another painting. "Having difficulties, Hero of Time?" he cackled.

Fortunately I wasn't hurt too bad, and got myself to my feet to draw my bow. "I'll just have to wait until he shows his sorry hide," I murmured. I circled myself slowly around the room, searching for some sign of what painting he'd come out of. "Where are you, phantom?" I heard a sound to my right and spun around; there was the circle of flames, right in front of my eyes. I wasted little time in piercing the emerging horse's eye with an arrow; even though I was new to a bow & arrow style of fighting, I'd had lots of time to fine-tune my aim with my slingshot before my coma and hookshot after. The horse did not turn back around after losing its eye; instead it ran around the room aimlessly, crashing into walls believing them to be portraits, stumbling around confusedly, and then coming to a running collapse on the floor. Phantom Ganon was knocked off as the demon horse's legs buckled, and lay on the floor out of breath. I walked up to him and pointed my Master Sword at his throat. "You're going to pay for what you did to Saria," I growled.

"What?" Ganon spat. "_This_?" I saw movement in the corner of my eye and looked up. The paintings had all begun to change; to my horror, they all became portraits of Saria screaming. The beauty of her face was distorted by the desperate terror it displayed. "It was Meg's idea; why not curse her to exist in a painting for the rest of eternity?"

"You _monster_!" I roared, looked around at the disturbing faces that now surrounded me. I swung my arm to slice his neck open, but with a sudden burst of energy he blocked my sword with his staff. He levitated into the air and looked down at me with ghostly malice.

"You want her?" he baited. "Then you can join her!" Phantom Ganon rose his staff and the flame-like remains of the Poe Sisters materialized around it. It then absorbed them, and began to glow a fiery purple. All around the room I heard the whispering of the undead as the shadows cast by the light seemed to seep across the walls like blood. Ghostly apparitions rose from the paintings and spiraled around the top of his staff; I felt almost like my soul too was being drawn to it. The apparitions merged into a golden ball of souls, illuminating the room in a bright yellow light that almost blinded me. Behind the light I saw Phantom Ganon raising his staff above his head, preparing to strike as he floated in the air. I had just enough time to react and get out of the way before he swung his staff, releasing the ball of souls and firing it towards me. It missed and hit a portrait of Saria. I heard her scream, and the psychopath above me laughed. "For every shot that misses you, Saria shall be brought closer to the brink of oblivion. You must choose: will you be cast away, or shall she cease to exist at all?"

I tried to think of some way out, but could come up with nothing. "Navi," I pleaded, "what am I to do? I could never let Saria die, but..." Above me I could see Phantom Ganon and the ghosts of the Poe Sisters summoning the souls of the Forest Temple again.

"Link, that orb has the capability to send things to oblivion; it doesn't kill people!"

"What's the difference!? I don't care about that right now!!!"

"No, listen! Even the undead can be sent to oblivion! That includes Phantom Ganon!"

The ball of souls was formed around the phantom's staff again. "So you mean... If I could hit _him_ with it I might defeat him?"

"It's your only chance!"

I nodded; it _was_ my only chance. But how would I send it back? My shield was no match for the forces of the undead... I ran out of time. Phantom Ganon launched his orb of oblivion my way once again, and this time it was going to hit me dead center. Before I knew what I was doing, I swung my sword in a desperate attempt to put up some fight before the deed was done. As soon as my sword connected with the orb, however, it bounced back towards Phantom Ganon. It took me a brief second to realize what happened, but when I did I smiled. Phantom Ganon was so shocked that he didn't dodge it in time and could only swing his staff. Unfortunately for me, that worked just as well as my sword did, and the ball began to come my way again.

I knocked it back towards Phantom Ganon once again, but he only hit it back. We kept hitting it back and forth, both knowing that whoever made a mistake first would be gone for good. With every slash of my sword, my arm grew more and more tired. Pretty soon, I knew, it would fail me and I'd be done for. My swings kept getting slower and slower, my reaction time longer and longer...

"Link!"

It happened. Saria's voice called to me from the paintings, and in that moment both Phantom Ganon and I were distracted from the ball of souls. It was only for a fraction of a second, but it was enough; and fortunately for me, it happened when the ball was going towards Phantom Ganon. The phantom only had enough time to turn and see the bright light of the souls before the ball enveloped him. He began to struggle as he began to glow yellow. "What is this?" he cried in sudden pain. "What is happening to me!? Master Ganondorf, make it stop!"

A voice, the same as his, answered from nowhere. "Silence, you fool! This was your own failure that caused this! As punishment for proving to be so worthless, you shall be forever banished to oblivion! A suiting punishment; I am only sorry that this kid had to be the one to do it."

Above Phantom Ganon's terrified screams I called to Ganondorf's voice. "Ganondorf! I warn you now, your days are numbered! Surrender now, before I have to do something drastic!"

Ganondorf laughed. "Surrender? What kind of idiot do you think I am? So you have defeated my phantom; he was a mere puppet, nothing more. When you and I battle, it won't be so easy!"

"Master, please no!" cried the phantom. "Save me, please!"

"May Majora have mercy on your soul, 'Lord of the Lost Woods.'" That was the last I heard from Ganondorf for a long time. But that wasn't what was on my mind. As Navi and I watched the flailing ghost burst into purple flames and vanish into nothingness, we wondered what would happen to Saria. She had vanished from her paintings, and all around us were empty portraits of nothingness.

"Saria?" I called wearily. "Where are you?"

Suddenly another candelabra materialized in front of me. It was held by a Poe. A ghostly white beard of leaves hung from its black face, and it was dressed in a fine suit like those I'd seen previously only in Hyrule Town Market. The candelabra was held in the Poe's right hand, while its other hand was held behind its back. Before I could speak, it silenced me. "Hush, young hero. I know what you are about to ask. Who am I? Am I another ghost here to torment you? Or am I a friend? Let me explain that I am the latter. I am Arbren, the deceased owner and curator of the Forest Art Museum; or, as you call it nowadays, the Forest Temple. Though I find it very ironic that I should turn into a Poe after being killed by their king, I have realized it was destiny. My role in this madness that is Ganondorf's reign is to bring you to the new guardian of the temple."

I was still a bit in shock. "New...guardian...?"

"The last one was killed by the Poe King in this very room. She was a Kokiri by the name of Florissa. I knew her well; she comforted me when I, a Deku cast away by my people, was found all alone wandering the Tarm Ruins. She, myself, and a Skull Kid were the original founders of this museum. Before she died, Florissa had been blessed by the Deku Tree with a son."

I felt bad for interrupting, but I had to know what happened to my friend. "I'm sure this is all very interesting, but where is the Kokiri girl who was trapped here? Is she alright?"

"She is alright; but I am afraid you will not be pleased with the circumstances."

"What...what do you mean?"

"I believe it would be best for you to find out for yourself. Please follow me; but before you do, please take this." Arbren pulled a glittering heart-like crystal from his suit pocket. "This Heart Container holds the heart of my dear Florissa. Though we were not the same race, our love continues to span centuries. I think it deserving now that you take it. May it remind you too that love not need be between two of the same species." I took it thankfully, and felt my health coming back. "Now come, young hero. Follow me into the abyss." Arbren motioned for me to follow him, and he flew slowly towards one of the empty portraits. "In here you shall find the new guardian," he explained. He then floated into the picture, leaving me alone. I just stared at the black image, wondering what I was supposed to do.

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**A Note from the Author: **So if you didn't notice yet, I kind of put a spin on my version of the Forest Temple. I always thought Jalhalla was such an interesting character in _Wind Waker_, and I consider him the King of Poes. I felt that if he existed before Hyrule flooded, he'd probably be up to mischief somewhere in the vicinity of the Earth Temple. So I decided to give him a little backstory, as well as flesh out the characters of the Poe Sisters and Phantom Ganon. The characters and temples in _Ocarina of Time_ aren't explained very well, so I thought it necessary. Also, I think my version of the Phantom Ganon fight is better (and far more epic) than Nintendo's.

Please leave a review now that you've read this; it would be highly appreciated.


	2. The Truth

**A Note from the Author:** This chapter isn't exactly a long one; only 3,549 words (the last one was 4,600 or so). But all the same, I hope it's to the reader's satisfaction. I had to work with a lot of original material here until the second segment, because for the purpose of this story Ocarina of Time doesn't give me enough plot material to use by itself. The segment was originally part of Part I, but because there was still more to come and such, I decided to split them into two separate parts. There will still be a Part III.

Please leave a review if you read!

Zelda characters (c) Nintendo  
OC (c) Me

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**Part II ~ The Truth**

"Link, I think he wants you to go inside the painting," Navi suggested.

"Yes," I replied, "but _how_?" Navi didn't reply. I decided I'd have to figure things out on my own. Prodding the painting seemed to make it ripple; perhaps I was suppose to just step inside. Turns out that did the trick. On the other side of the painting was a room--brightly lit up by a massive chandelier--completely white with golden linings on the walls, with a single, huge picture on the back wall. It was a portrait of three youthful characters: a young Deku man, a beautiful green-haired Kokiri girl, and a smiling Skull Kid between them. They all looked so happy, standing there in front of what looked like the Forest Temple while grinning with their arms around each other. The temple behind them was much nicer looking than the one I knew; instead of mossy walls, a destroyed staircase, and cracks in the supporting pillars, the walls were a marble white, with artistic pillars (each in the traditional style of a different race) standing proudly in front of them, and a grand staircase descended from the cliff the temple sat on to the Sacred Forest Meadow where Saria always liked to hang out. It didn't take long to guess that it was a painting of the three founders of the "Forest Art Museum," as Arbren called it. There was a circular flower garden in front of the painting, with a bench between them. A waterway quietly flowed in front of the garden, a charming wooden bridge permitting me to cross it.

I cheered with excitement when I saw who sat at the bench, playing a familiar tune on her ocarina. Her green hair was unmistakable, and the warm delight on her soft face welcomed me back into the light. The long-sleeved shirt she wore under her Kokiri Tunic was as green as her hair, her shoes the color of pine needles. She looked just like she had seven years ago. "Saria!" I called, tears starting to spout from my eyes. "Saria, I've finally found you!" I dropped my sword and shield, and she nearly dropped her ocarina. With almost child-like glee I ran across the wooden bridge and around the flower garden to the marble bench my friend sat at. There I picked her up in my arms and squeezed her tight. She was almost half my size, light as a feather, but it didn't seem like I was hurting her. "Oh Saria, I was so worried!" I cried. "I thought something terrible had happened to you!" Above us, Navi and Tuto, Saria's fairy, rejoiced.

"Calm down, Link, I'm alright now!" she giggled back, hugging me just as tightly. Her voice was like the beautiful chirping of little song birds in the early morning, mixed with the dignified stateliness that only Zoran Royalty could match (Ruto excluded). It was sweet and soothing, yet stern and wise, just like her. "It's so good to see you!" She may have been trying to be composed, but I saw the glimmer of watery eyes when I picked her up. But as usual, Saria always had to be the mature one. "Put me down so we can talk face-to-face; you look so different, I want to have a look at you!" I gently set her back down on the bench and sat down myself. She looked me over. "By Farore's Book, look what happened to you!" she exclaimed, resting her arm behind the bench and crossing her legs. "How'd you get so big? Last time I saw you, Mido was busy calling you 'shrimp!'"

I shrugged, though I was sure my face was red from being examined so enthusiastically. "I don't really know why."

Saria looked into my eyes with that motherly look that I always loved. Her green eyes sparkled; everything about her was green. "Where _were_ you all these years anyway?"

"In a place called the Temple of--"

"Oh yes, the Light Temple!" Saria interjected, her face beaming. She took pride in her knowledge of the world outside the forest, after all. "The one over by Hyrule Castle, right? It sounds so lovely, what'd you think of it?"

"It was...nice. But anyway, I was in a coma there. Don't exactly understand why, except they didn't think I was big enough to use the sword above the temple."

"The Master Sword? So you tried to use it?"

I nodded. "Yes, but apparently I was too small. So they waited seven years until I got bigger."

Saria frowned. "But...that doesn't make sense! You're a Kokiri, you can't _age_."

I shrugged again. "Well, maybe it was growth magic. I'm as confused as you are."

It didn't matter to dear Saria. She just shook her head and smiled. She looked like a sunflower opening up to take in the sun's rays. "Always surrounded by mysteries, aren't you?" she remarked, brushing the hair out of my eyes. "Ever since you were a little boy, I've been about knee deep in mysteries and adventures whenever I'm around you; always a surprise. Never thought I'd wind up here, yet have a look around! I'm up in the old Forest Temple, of all places; and I've even seen a few ghosts!"

I took her hand and held it tight. "That reminds me," I said. "What happened? What were you doing in the temple?"

Saria's smile faded. "I don't exactly know. I was sitting on my tree stump, playing my song as usual, when I heard a voice coming from the temple. It said, 'Saria... Saria... I need you, Saria...' It sounded like dear Fado--you remember, the yellow-haired girl. I thought she might be in trouble, what with all the Wolfos in the forest, so I searched for something to climb up to the temple with. Finally I came across some vines, grappled onto that old tree outside, and climbed up. As soon as I stepped in the temple, though, I heard the voice again. 'Saria... Saria... I have you now, Saria...' Before I could run away, four ghost women appeared around me and grabbed me. They started to sing, 'We have the Sage, we have the Sage, oh look, we have the Sage, ha ha ha ha ha.' I didn't know what they were talking about, but when I asked they dropped hot wax on my hand, and that hurt like mad! They threw me into a dungeon in the basement and left me to die. Then a man with a skull for a head stepped in and grabbed me. He shook me hard, demanding I tell him the location of some Medallion he said would make him more powerful, but I didn't know what he was talking about either. Eventually he got so mad he took me into this one art gallery, and threw me into a painting! Then there was some commotion and...long story short, I found myself here, all healthy again. It wasn't long before I met you here, Link."

"Well I'm glad you're alright, Saria," I smiled, patting her hand. "I don't know what I'd do without you."

"Oh Link, you're so sweet," Saria chuckled. "I'd say the same to you, but I've been without you for seven years! I wish I did what you did, then I might have gotten bigger too!"

I looked at the floor. That wasn't my fondest memory; I was a Kokiri (or thought I was), after all, so I felt like my growth spurt made me a freak of the forest. "Saria... My size... It won't _complicate_ anything, will it?"

Saria shook her head. "Not at all. I love you all the same. Whether you're big, whether you're small, whether you're a Zora, whether you're a Goron, I'd care for you all the same. I've said so ever since you were really young, haven't I?"

I gave her another hug, tears running anew. "Oh Saria... You're so good to me! I'm so glad you're okay!"

Saria patted my back. "There there, calm down! I'm sure I'm not the only good soul out there!"

"Mido was so mean... He didn't even accept that it was me! He even called me an adult!"

"Well I wouldn't blame him too much; you certainly look more like an adult than the rest of us do! But you don't act like one, so I wouldn't worry."

"Saria?"

"Yes?"

"Let's get out of here."

As I rose from the bench with Saria's hand in my own, I smiled and wiped away my tears. Perhaps, once this was all done, we could get together and...

"Halt!" The low voice of Arbren made me jump a mile into the air. He appeared above the flower garden, his hand raised into the air in a very urgent gesture. "You cannot do that! The temple guardian must remain here, no exceptions!"

"What are you talking about?" Saria asked. "What guardian?" I could see it coming; I grabbed her hand defensively.

"You do not know the guardian? Why, she was your own ancestor: Florissa Minerva, my late wife and guardian of the temple. You must take her place in this temple until the vile storm that ravages Hyrule is decimated."

"You can't do that!" I yelled. "I just rescued her!" I clung to Saria protectively. "She's leaving with me!"

"Link, what's happening?" Saria moaned dizzily. "I... I hear a voice..."

"Look, you're making her delusional just thinking about it!"

"It wasn't my choice, young hero, it was the gods'!" Arbren snapped angrily. "She has to stay until the forest is safe again, or those ghosts will return!"

"But I came to take her back!" I felt the tears coming; somehow, I knew he was right.

"That can't be helped; whether that was your reasoning or no, her destiny is to remain here until all is well again. Until the evil Ganondorf is demolished, she will stay."

"But...but!"

"I'm sorry, but if you do not leave her willingly I will be forced to do something I shall regret!"

I couldn't help myself, I was so angry. I whipped out my sword and charged at the stupid ghost. "I've defeated worse than you, and I'll do it again!" Before I could strike I heard a thump behind me. I stopped in my spot and turned around. Saria's body lay on the bench, motionless. "Saria!" I cried, running back to my fallen friend. "Saria, are you alright?" I looked at Arbren with more hatred than I'd ever felt before. "What did you do to her!?"

Arbren put his hands up in the air. "Nothing, nothing! The poor girl must have been so confused by our argument that she fainted!"

I put my weapon away. "Well...what do we do?"

Arbren snapped his fingers and a blue light surrounded me. "Go to Kokiri Forest. I'm sure there's somebody who can help her. She and I will wait here for your return."

I wasn't about to fall for that. "But..."

"I'm not trying to trick you, young hero! Truce?"

"For now."

"In that case, I shall see you soon!"

I nodded. The Poe snapped his fingers again, and a blue crystal formed around me. I felt some sort of suction, and everything turned white...

-

I'm not going to kid you, I was frightened. When I had left, Saria hadn't just fainted; she had been ghastly pale, motionless. I wondered if the Poe Arbren had lied so that I'd think she was okay. I plead to the goddesses that she'd be okay.

The world that faded into my eyes was one I was very familiar with. It was late at night (my, how time flies), and all the animals of the forest were sleeping. I heard the snarling of monsters not too far away. I drew my sword, just in case. There was a howl in the distance; a Wolfos, perhaps? Navi looked around attentively. I wasn't particularly in the mood to battle, but when you get attacked you don't really have a choice. That's what I've learned, anyway. Perhaps it's different for other people.

Standing before me was a ghastly reminder of the past, of what started this continuous nightmare for the past seven years. His grey, dead bark stuck out like a ghost in the moonlight, which shone through his leafless branches. The only leaves that remained on his rotting lumber were those that made up his eyebrows and mustache. His mouth still lay open, the wind moaning as it passed through the great hollowed space inside. He was so familiar, and yet I could see how seven years had taken their toll on him. Insects feasted ravenously on his decaying body, and mushrooms had already grown to recycle and decompose his trunk. It was the body of a dead god, a body that should never have existed. Yet because of Ganondorf, and because of the struggle I had with the parasitic curse that was cast upon him, the God of the Earth, the Great Deku Tree, lay lifeless before me. It was a chilling sight, like seeing a zombie rise from the dead. I've seen ghosts galore, even a few skeletons, but they had no meaningful connection to me like the Deku Tree had.

It was because the Deku Tree was dead that all this had happened to the forest. He was not just the God of Earth; he was the guardian of the Lost Woods, the great entity that kept evil away from the Kokiri and Deku. Whenever Hylians entered the woods, it was the Deku Tree that turned them into Stalfos and Skull Kids. Yet on the other hand, he killed any Kokiri (except me) that left the forest. He was all-knowing, and immeasurably powerful, yet as Ganondorf found out the key to his destruction was to be eaten out from the inside. He found that out all too late. With him gone, Ganondorf was able to infest the forest with monsters. It wasn't that noticeable by the time I had gone into a coma, but it has been obvious seven years later. The forest is no longer a safe place.

I heard a howl behind me, and I spun around to see the gleaming yellow eyes of a Wolfos. It eyed me hungrily, but came alone. Navi was quick to fly over it, illuminating it even more so that I could see it easily, and I moved to defeat it. The Wolfos wasn't just like any canine; it had well-developed front arms, and had fur that was as protective as Titanium. Its only weak spot was its tail; one strike there, and it would burst into flames and die. A gruesome ending, but they were the product of evil and had to be killed; the Deku Tree said so before he died. I held my shield up, waiting for the Wolfos to make its strike. The Wolfos ran towards me and drew its claw back, but I instinctively backed away before it struck. The speed of its slash forced it to spin around, and I made quick work of its tail. It howled in pain and burst into blue flames, and within seconds it was gone.

The flames illuminated the grim landscape for me for a few seconds. Before they were completely gone, I saw something in front of the Deku Tree: a small plant, twitching and moving excitedly in the moonlight. As far as I could tell, there was not a single other plant in the forest at that moment that was squirming in joy. My curiosity got the better of me, and I approached it to take a closer look. I kept my sword drawn, in case it was a Deku Baba; but as it turns out, it was not the case.

My approach towards the little sprout was enough to excite it even further. With great enthusiasm it launched itself from the ground, revealing itself to be a small tree. The rise of the tree shook the ground enough to knock me off my feet, and I hit the dirt hard. I got myself to my feet just in time to see a face grinning at me on the short little tree. "Hi!" it yelled, startling me so hard that I nearly fell back down. I could only stare at it with awe. "Hey, why don't you talk to me?" it asked. "Don't ya know who I am?" I shook my head slowly. The tree beamed at me proudly. "I'm the Great Deku Tree!"

"T-The G-Great Deku Tree?" I stuttered. I didn't know what to make of this guy. "You can't be the Great Deku Tree." I pointed at the dead tree behind him. "_That's_ the Great Deku Tree!"

"Well, maybe I wasn't clear enough. I'm the Great Deku Tree _Sprout_! I'm his kid!"

"Y-You are?"

"Sure! I've been waiting all this time to pop out of the ground so I could help you guys out in your fight against the evil Ganondorf! I've been waiting for...seven years, tops! My seed was planted when Pops here kicked the bucket!"

I shook my head again, a bit angrily. "But why did it take you so long? Look at what happened to the forest while you were gone!"

"Well, I can explain that. You see, evil was starting to infest the Forest Temple ever since my Dad died. The Forest Temple and the Deku Tree work hand in hand; it may seem like it's just a hunk of rock, but the Forest Temple is a Temple of Power! With it going all whack, the forest can't grow correctly. There haven't been any new trees since the Forest Temple was taken seven years ago; me included! We're all just sprouts! I should know; we've been talking to each other about it through the soil. That's one dark place, buddy. But with the evil in the Forest Temple exterminated, I've been able to sprout! And it's all thanks to you, buddy!"

"How did you know that?"

"I'm the new God of the Earth! I know everything there is to know about this forest, straight from birth! What, did you think Pops went out in the world and _learned_ all his knowledge? Sheesh, wisen up, kid, or I'll have ta turn ya into a Stalfos!"

I put my hands up defensively. "Whoa there, little guy, I'm a Kokiri. Granted, I'm a big one, but I live here!"

"Watch it, bucko! Who ya calling little?" the Deku Tree Sprout snapped. "And you certainly are _not_ a Kokiri! Ol' pops must have lied to you or something! You, my friend, are a _Hylian_!"

My jaw dropped. Seriously, it just dropped. I had no words to speak; I just hung there in shock. I couldn't believe that all this time I thought I was a Kokiri... And yet, at the same time, it all made sense; no wonder I got so big in seven years. I was virtually an adult Hylian now.

"Hah, you should see the look on your face!" The Great Deku Tree Sprout snorted a laugh. "But fun and games aren't exactly what I should be doing right now. You're lucky the Earth Temple isn't taken over; otherwise I'd have no power! Check _this_ out!" The Deku Tree Sprout grunted a little and looked like he was squeezing really hard. The ground began to shake, and once again I fell flat on my face. The entire forest seemed to tremble. All around, I could hear Deku Babas, evil-possessed Mad Scrubs, Wolfos, and Poes all screeching in pain. "Pretty cool, isn't it?" the Deku Tree Sprout grunted. "I'm purifying the forest! When I'm done it'll be just like old times, seven years ago." He stopped. I weakly got up to my feet, still preoccupied by my new revelation, but I could see and hear the forest doing better. Flowers had suddenly started to blossom, and I could hear Kokiri (of which I was no longer one of) cheering in the distance. "There," the Deku Tree Sprout sighed, "all done. The Lost Woods is now evil-free! As long as I'm around, nothing's gonna change that! And your friend over in the Forest Temple is doing better too; all she needed was some good clean energy from your's truly! Sheesh, I'm better than the doctors they've got over in Hyrule Castle Town! They should do better than that!" The tree made another huge grin. "You should go see her; I think she's looking for you!" he added.

"Saria?" I stammered, still under shock.

"You bet your buckets! Would I lie to you? I'm a God, a better one than ol' Pops, I've got no reason to lie! Go on, go see your sweetheart!"

"Yeah..."

Somehow, I didn't exactly want to go see her; not now, not when I was a...a _Hylian_. Yet I knew there was no choice; she and Arbren were waiting for me. I said my good-bye to the new Deku Tree, and started off. Behind me I could hear the tree with its funny accent replying, "No problem! Good luck on your quest, I'll be seein' you when you return! And don't worry about bein' a Hylian. Pops had his reasons; you can stay however long you like!"

* * *

**A Note from the Author:** Ha ha, I always picture the Deku Tree Sprout as having a sort of New York accent, kind of like Curly from the Three Stooges. And Wind Waker calls the Deku Tree (who I just _know_ is the same one from the end of Ocarina of Time) the "God of the Earth;" that makes the Earth Temple kind of like a temple in tribute to him, doesn't it? Link doesn't know about the Earth Temple, though. But at least this shows that Jalhalla's still not in it. Saria, on the other hand, I picture with sort of a sharp English accent, like Rose from Doctor Who. Kind of an adultish voice, to match her maturity. Though when playing the game I always gave her a sort of Southern accent... Weird. But anyway, if you didn't catch why I named her fairy "Tuto," it comes from "Tutorial."

Please leave a review if you read this! It would be very much appreciated!


	3. The Dance

**A Note from the Author:** This chapter's longer compared to the previous two; 7,383 words of pure story goodness. A good part of the first half was originally going to come before the last chapter, but I decided in the end that it would work best here. This is the final chapter, and for those of you who have been reading this from the very beginning, you're all in for a special treat. I hope you enjoy, and please write a review when you're done; I promise to read every single one!

Zelda characters (c) Nintendo  
A few Oracle characters (c) Nintendo, Capcom  
OC (c) Me

* * *

**Part III ~ The Dance**

I opted not to warp back to the temple with the Minuet of Forest. Instead I chose to walk; it gave me time to think. The moon shone hauntingly above my head as I silently strolled the empty, grassy paths of the Kokiri Forest, eyes glued to the dark ground, wondering what to do. Every now and then, my eyes would wander to my gloved hand and I'd be reminded of what I was; then I could only look away from it in disgust. I looked around at the tree houses around me, where my Kokiri friends slept sound in their beds. I wondered, did they know? Was I just being lied to all my life? Or were they just as much in the dark as everybody else? Mido's words echoed in my head, words that stung my mind since they were spoken seven years ago. "The Great Mido will never accept you as one of the Kokiri! Never!" An owl hooted far away, having just pounced on some defenseless mouse. I felt bad for the mouse. Really bad.

Eventually I stopped at a dark pond, the one that had a passage to the Zora's River if I were to dive for it. Even in the darkness, I could see the stone marking the tunnel at the other end of the water. For a moment a thought crossed my mind to swim through it, to leave this nightmare behind forever. I felt alone in the world, as if perhaps my entire life was one big lie. Did Malon know? Did Zelda? Perhaps even Rauru knew it. Yet nobody told me. Nobody even spoke a word of it, until some wise-cracking plant was born and spilled the magic beans. Maybe there was a huge agreement never to tell me, and he just missed it. A whole agreement that I would live life thinking I was a huge freak of the forest for Mido and his lackies to laugh at.

I stared down at the image of a grown man quivering in the water. It stared back at me, its face burned into my mind. I was some hideous monster. The Kokiri were always taught to be frightened of Hylians; was I supposed to be frightened of myself? My silence told volumes to my companion. Navi fluttered by my side and looked deep into my eyes. "Link?" she whispered. "What's the matter?"

"Navi, I..." I could hardly speak my own troubles. "Navi, I'm a Hylian..."

Navi was silent for a moment. When she replied, her voice was quiet, almost a whisper. But then again, there was no need to shout. The monsters of the forest were all gone; the woods were silent. Not even Saria's beautiful song resonated through the timber. "Yes... Yes, I know. That came as a shock to me too. I...don't suppose you're worried about me? I'll stick with you whether you're a Hylian or not."

"That's very kind of you, Navi, but... I'm not worried about that. I know you wouldn't leave me. It's..."

"...Saria..."

"Navi, what will I do? I wanted Saria and I to be together forever. But... I didn't know I was a Hylian! We'll never be able to be together now!"

"Link... Do you really think that's true? I think Saria's better than that. I think if you told her, she'd understand."

"You think... But you don't _know_. Ugh! I've never felt this way before!"

"It's because you're older. You feel more than childish infatuation; you feel deep, passionate love. Saria's view of you greatly troubles you, I can tell. But I know things will be alright."

"How can you say that?"

"Link... Remember the Heart Container that Arbren gave you? It was supposed to symbolize something: the love between a Deku and a Kokiri. I think Hylians and Kokiris are just as capable of loving each other."

"Yeah, but... Navi, I think I need to be alone right now."

Navi nodded. "I understand." She bowed respectfully and flew underneath my hat, leaving me alone in the cold night. I sat down beside the pond and stared out at the moon's reflection. Perhaps I cried; I can't remember now. My mind began to wander, to a memory of long ago, before I had Navi for a fairy. It was when Saria first showed me the Forest Temple. The first time I laid eyes on the mossy gallery that has so influenced my life. It was one of my fondest memories...

-

"Link?"

The voice was but a fluttering twitter in my nightmare. I was far away from it, in a land unlike my own. Two witches hovered around me on broomsticks in a dark orange chamber. Their hair was tied into a teardrop-shaped bun, their eyes bugging out to a spooky degree. Their dark olive skin was wrinkled, and they had very few teeth left. Atop one's head was a blue crystal; on the other's, an orange one. "So, Hero of Time, we meet at last," said the blue-capped one.

"We've been watching you," added the orange-capped one.

"W-Who are you?" I demanded. I did not know where I was, but apparently I had been on some valiant quest and was now inside a dark temple. In one hand I held a sword; in the other, a shield so shiny it was a mirror. "What have you done to Nabooru?" I did not even know the name I spoke; my words came out of my mouth without my own control.

"We are the twin sisters Twinrova," sneered the blue-capped one, her stare so cold it could freezing my soul.

"Mother to the Great King of the Hyrule, Ganondorf!" added the orange-capped one, her voice burned into my mind.

"Koume and Kotake are our names," the blue-capped one continued.

"And witchcraft is our game," added the orange-capped one.

"I am Kotake," Kotake, the blue-capped one, said.

"And I am Koume," Koume, the orange-capped one, said.

"Together we are one."

"Separate we are two."

"Yet together or separate..."

"...we've had our eyes on you."

I took a step back. "G-Ganondorf?" I stuttered. "You are his mother?"

They did not notice. They motioned towards the sobbing creature laying on the floor. Her skin was the same color as the witches', but she was a much younger woman. Around her lay chunks of Gerudo armor, and she was bleeding in several places. "L-Link..." she cried. "H-Help me! Link!"

"Nabooru is a traitor," Kotake said.

"And traitors should be punished," Koume said.

"We brainwashed her seven years ago in the desert," Kotake cackled.

"But it seems you have broken her spell," Koume growled.

Kotake looked at Koume. "Koume?"

Koume looked at Kotake. "Yes, Koume?"

Kotake pointed a wand at Nabooru, who shrank back. "She must be exterminated," Kotake said, her voice wickedly low.

Koume nodded and pointed her wand at Nabooru. "I know, Kotake," Koume replied.

I could only stand and watch as the evil sisters pulled their wands back and fired a magical blast. Nabooru screamed and ran, but she was not fast enough. The blast struck her, and she let out a blood-curdling shriek. In seconds she collapsed to the floor, dead.

"Link!"

---

I was brought back to reality as the voice called my name once again. It was like an angel falling gently to remove Majora from my brain, and I opened my eyes, Nabooru's deathly screech echoing in my ear drums. It didn't last long, though. I looked up, and there watching me were two eyes as green as the grass after a rainstorm, sparkling in the morning light. "Huh? What is it?" I asked groggily.

"Wake up, sleepy head," Saria said with a smile, shaking my shoulder. "You were squirming all over the place. I could hear you screaming from my house."

I had to shield my eyes from a sudden red light that fired into my eyes. "You're such a sleepyhead," her fairy chuckled. "Any fairy who gets stuck with you will break down just trying to wake you up!"

"Tuto, be quiet!" Saria growled, throwing an angry face at her fairy and shooing him away. "You know as well as I do that that is a very tender subject! Why, the last time Mido brought that up--"

"No, that's okay..." I yawned, sitting up from my cozy bed. "I know he didn't mean it. Tuto, I mean. If it were Mido, _then_ I'd have to worry. Or worse yet, _he'd_ have to worry!"

Saria laughed, like the giggle of a swallow. "Oh, Link, you're so brave! Or at least, that would be what I'd say if it weren't for your tossing and turning. Imagine if Mido got here before I did!"

I shrugged. "Bah, what do I care what that guy says? Who made _him_ leader anyway?"

"His father was one of the original Kokiri, you know. I suppose he takes that as a reason to be in charge."

"Yeah, well I bet you my dad knew way more than his."

"Link!" Saria snapped. "Shame on you! You know you can't disrespect our ancestors like that. What would the Great Deku Tree say?"

"Well ex-_cuuuuse_ me, Princess! Sorry that I missed the 'Kokiri Rules Seminar' and didn't grow into a Know-It-All Brother."

Saria laughed. I laughed too. Even Tuto laughed. We spent maybe a minute or two just laughing. We probably would have spent more, except that grouch Mido showed up at the bottom of my house's ladder. He was always keeping Saria and I in check; we all think he's got a big crush on Saria (what, with all his "baby-cakes" stuff), and he doesn't like it that she's best friends with me. "Hey Mr. Fairies-Hate-You! Quit fooling around, you haven't done your chores yet!"

"Neither have you, Mido!" Saria called back before I could speak.

Mido was silent for a moment. Saria and I looked at each other with big grins, trying to hold in our laughter. We knew that Mido was blushing so much he looked like a Mad Scrub. Finally he called, "I-Is that you, baby-cakes? (we snorted in laughter at hearing that) What are you doing with ol' Loser up there? He isn't bugging you again, is he? Why don't you come down? I'll catch you!"

I shushed Saria and put on my deep voice. "Uh, no, pipsqueak! This is the Great Deku Tree! I was just having a talk with this cool guy Link here about giving him a fairy that's better than your's! And... And... And I'm gonna make him the leader of Kokiri Forest, 'cuz you're too busy telling everybody to do their chores to do your own! Ho ho ho ho ho!" Saria and I burst into laughter.

"LINK!" Mido screamed from outside my house. "YOU'RE GONNA PAY FOR THAT!"

"Aw crap," I yelped. I could hear Mido ascending my ladder outside. "Quick, Saria, Escape Mido Plan Delta!" Saria nodded and lifted my rug to reveal a small hatch in my floor. She opened it and ushered me down. As soon as I was climbing down the secret ladder she followed, leaving my house empty. As we descended the ladder to the secret passage leading out of my house, I could hear Mido screaming up top.

"LIIIIIIIIINK!!! YOU'LL NEVER GET AWAY WITH THIS!!!"

There was a crash. "Shoot, there goes my Deku Nut Collection," I grumbled.

"Good riddance," Saria chirped. "I never liked it. Why did you have one, anyway?"

"Because," I explained, going on the defensive, "if you look closely, every Deku Nut looks a little different."

"_How_ closely, Link?"

"So it's almost touching your eye," I said sheepishly.

The secret exit was an underground crawl space. Saria never liked me looking up her skirt (which I never did on purpose, mind you), so I went first. I knew the passage well; it would wind up in the Lost Woods near a golden gate. Saria, on the other hand, had never joined me through the passage, so this was probably an adventure for her. I grinned secretly, thinking about all the fun she must be having and how much fun, in turn, I was having.

Sure enough, we popped out heads out of a tree stump in the foggy forest we called home. I checked to make sure the coast was clear, then helped Saria out. She looked around, and started staring at the golden gate a little ways away from us. "Oh, Link, do you know what that is?" she asked, a smile on her face.

I shook my head. "Fado said it was the gate to the Forest Temple, but I've never really believed her. It looks too nice to be the gate to some run-down temple."

Saria chuckled. "Well, you're in for a surprise. You know how sometimes I go missing, and Mido always blames it on you?"

I rubbed my head, remembering all the times he had hit me over the head for "abducting Saria." "Yeah..."

My friend pointed gleefully at the gate. "Sometimes, when I want to be alone, I go sneak into the Sacred Forest Meadow."

"The what-what?"

"The Sacred Forest Meadow. It's right behind that gate, and only I know how to find my way in."

I looked at the ground. "So you don't want to be with me sometimes? And...you let Mido beat me up or it?"

Saria blushed. "Well, I don't exactly plan things _that_ way... But sometimes I need time to think for myself, instead of following you around on adventures or listening to Mido brag about himself. And what better place than here!" She looked at me with a sly smile and I grinned sheepishly. "Hey," she said, "how about I show you my hiding place? Promise me you won't tell anybody!"

"Umm... Okay. I won't tell anybody."

"And promise me you won't come searching for me whenever I go missing!"

I rubbed my head again. "Okay, but you gotta tell Mido to quit hitting me!"

"I'll try."

"Deal."

Saria grabbed me by the arm and pulled me towards the gate, bounding almost like a horse. She was such a nature person. "Check THIS out. I bet you've never seen a magic trick like this!" She dug in the pocket of her tunic and reveal in her hand a tannish-colored sort of flute.

"Your ocarina, Saria?"

She nodded. "This is gonna blow your socks off, Link." She put the ocarina to her mouth and played a sort of waltz-like melody. I think I might have heard it before, somewhere, probably during one of the Earth Festival Dances. It almost made me feel like dancing myself. As soon as she finished playing, the ground shook and the gates swung inwardly open. My mouth hung in shock. She laughed at my expression. "You like it? That was the Minuet of Forest; it is said the Great Maku Tree of Holodrum composed it one day while he was talking with the Deku Tree. The Forest Temple, I've read, was built with that song in mind. Some books say that the original guardian of the temple had a magical flute that could warp her straight to the temple if she played that song. Neat, isn't it?"

I nodded. "Saria, this is amazing! And..." I searched for something fantastic, but could only see a wall of earth. "...is the meadow just beyond these gates? Why don't I see it?"

"Because," she answered with a grin so sneaky it could have scared a Shiekhah Ninja, "first we must cross the Forest Maze. It was constructed as a test long ago; to protect the temple from art thieves, there were three tests set up. The first was the Kokiri test: the gates that open only for the mystical song, the Siren's Door. Second was the Deku test: the maze that only the artistic and wise could pass, the Forest Maze. And third will be the Skull Kid's test: the security guarding the temple, of which no longer remains, the Temple Checkpoint." She tugged at my tunic. Imitating the pompous voice of a Deku she asked, "Well? Shall we enter the Forest Maze, oh brave Kokiri?"

I laughed and bowed. "Show me the way, oh wise Kokiri!"

"Very well then. Come, take my hand, and I shall show you the path to take!" She held her hand out, and I gladly took it. It was soft like a flower petal, and smooth like a rock at the bottom of a river. She led me through the Siren's Door and to the left. There was a pond not too far away, with a rock-hard flower in front of it.

"Why is this flower so hard?" I asked, feeling it with my free hand.

"Deku Flowers only blossom during the spring, you know. By fall they get all hard and rocky; but only if a Deku Scrub hasn't been in it for the past year. The Scrubs give them nutrients to survive the winter. Long ago, this maze was full of Deku Scrubs protecting the maze from intruders; they've all died out now." My dear Saria let out a deep sigh. "I suppose it wasn't the best security," she whispered distantly.

Tugging my hand again, she lead me around the corner and around another, winding our way through the Forest Maze as if it were some easy game that she had played far too much for it to be exciting. Whereas I was lost within the first five minutes, she knew where she was going the entire time. "Just take a right at the Gossip Stone," she'd mumble, or, "When you see the statue of a Poe, be sure to go straight." I thought it was all very brilliant how she could pull this off, but then again she had done it many times.

Eventually we found a staircase. "Now then, this is the tricky part," she told me as we stopped. "This is the Temple Checkpoint, the Skull Kid's test. To this day, ghosts guard the checkpoint furiously to keep out intruders. They're very mischievous, and though they've come to accept me I'm sure they'll be furious to see another behind me. They won't give you any remorse if they catch you; they caught me once and let me go because I was a girl. Unfortunately for you, you aren't. They'll kill you if they get the chance."

I was visibly trembling. "R-Really?"

Saria took one look at Tuto and then back at me, and the two of them suddenly started to laugh. "No, silly! The temple was only a museum, it's not like it was the most important fortress in all of Hyrule. The only ghosts here are the spirits of the forest; they're my friends! The Skull Kid and Deku Scrub security is long gone."

I laughed nervously. "Yeah... I knew it the whole time... Yeah..."

Despite her kind words and her apology for making me feel so frightened, she had to drag me up the staircase. I've got a fear of ghosts, you see, which will probably take a good seven years or more to get rid of. "Come on, Link, there's nothing to worry about! These spirits are good people, you'll see!" she groaned as she forcefully yanked me up those stairs, along a small flat bit of ground, and up even more stairs. "Please, if you'd only listen! They aren't even bothering us, you see?"

"I'd quite rather stay down there in the maze, if you don't mind. I could see the temple's roof just fine from down there."

"We aren't going to the temple... We're going to the Sacred Forest Meadow!"

"The what-what?"

"Oh Link, get a grip, will you? I'm starting to see why Mido's able to pick on you so much! I'm weaker than him, and even _I_ seem to be stronger than you! Look, I've almost pulled you to the top! In fact, we're already here!"

I turned my head around away from the stairs for just a moment, expecting to see some spooky phantom, but instead I saw a great big clearing in the forest, surrounded on all sides by a cliff about a third of a mile high. The light shone in through it, but that was because it was noon; it was probably dark at any other time of the day. At the top of the cliff stood a very ominous and foreboding figure, a great stone structure that looked almost as old as the Deku Tree. It was covered in moss ivy almost completely around the sides, and I found myself transfixed by the mysterious beauty of the place. The wind blew through the hollow structure almost on cue, and even from down here I could hear what sounded like a ghostly moaning. I cowered behind Saria. The single dead tree in front of the temple all the way up there was menacing, and looked almost like it was going to eat me.

"Pull yourself together, or a fairy will never come to get you!" Saria snapped.

"Wh-What _is_ that?" I stuttered. "Is that the t-temple?"

"That's the greatest piece of architecture our Kokiri ancestors ever created! Not to mention the Deku and the Skull Kids! That, Link, is the Forest Temple."

"Creepy..."

"You may think it's creepy, but I think it's beautiful! I've always felt it was calling to me, you know; like I was meant to one day stroll its halls and learn about our past..." I swore I saw a tear glitter on the corner of her eye. "Beautiful is just the beginning of the word. But as you can see..." She pointed at a sort of stone structure protruding from the cliffside. "...the stone staircase has been lost to the flow of time. I'll never get in there, I'm afraid."

"You've got a strange imagination, Saria..."

"But anyway, if you'd just step out from behind me, you'd see the Sacred Forest Meadow!" Seeing as resistance was futile, I did as she asked. There before me I saw small tree stump, smack dab in the middle of all the grass and flowers in the strange earthy cauldron that was the meadow. "That stump is where I like to sit and relax. You can see all the colors of the rainbow from that stump. Every single one of the primaries and secondaries. I'd challenge you to see if you couldn't. But this is where I always go to play my most favorite song. I've heard from some of you that it echoes off the cliff walls and down the Temple Checkpoint so well that you can hear it throughout the entire Hylian part of the Lost Woods! Who would have thought? And for as long as I live, that song shall continue. It shall be my legacy!"

Hearing about a song reminded me about the Minuet of Forest. "Hey Saria," I said, rather awkwardly on my part. "You know, last time we had the Earth Festival Dance, I only really got to dance with Fado. She's...not exactly the best dancer. I was wondering... The light is so perfect over this meadow... Would you...um..." I kind of faded out. I've been brave in the face of danger loads of times, but in the face of my own best friend...

"Yes? What were you going to say?" Like she didn't know.

I stared at the grass around my boots. "Nothing. Just forget it."

"No, really, I'd like to know!"

"Well..." I peeked back up at her and gulped. "Would you like to dance?" Then I quickly added, "I know there's no music, so it's probably a stupid idea, but..."

Saria shook her head. "Oh nonsense, it sounds like a perfect idea. We can pretend there's music. What would you like?"

This was so awkward. "The... The Minuet of Forest, perhaps?"

Saria eyed me slyly. "Ooo, you naughty boy! Picking a romantic dance, are we? Ho ho, I don't know what I think about that!"

"Well, we don't have to, then, I knew it was kinda stupid--"

"But Link, dear, I was just kidding! I'd love to dance with you! Here, let's begin." She put her arms around my neck and looked straight into my eyes. "Come on, now; it's not like I'm Mido or anything." I nodded and put my arms around her waist. She was always the better dancer, so she started us off. And there, all alone, we waltzed in the Sacred Forest Meadow, just the two of us. It was perfect; and when it was over, I felt like it had just begun. I swore to myself that I'd do it once again later.

"Saria, what if you do become a big music star? What shall happen if you go away?" I looked her straight in the eyes. "Perhaps the temple would swallow you up?" With a bit of a grin, seeing the look Saria gave me, I added, "Not that it would, or anything. I'm just saying! You know Mido and I would be very lonely."

Saria sighed and gave me a rather delicate smile. "Link, I've been coming here since the day you were born. And has anything bad happened to me yet? No. And I'd be very lonely if you left too. You're my favorite Kokiri, you know!"

I hugged her. "Aw, that's so sweet! You're _my_ favorite Kokiri too!"

"Friends forever?"

"There isn't a Kokiri in the world who can say no," I smiled.

-

As I stared into the pond, memories flowing into my mind, a glimmer of hope seemed to splash out and wake me up. "Saria, we were friends forever," I said, though I knew I was alone. "And we shall continue to be!" I put my hand to my chest, feeling the Heart Container in my heart helping it to beat so healthily. "Love need not be between two of the same race," I whispered. With newfound spirit I rose from the side of the pond and shook my head. "Wake up, Navi. I need your guiding light."

My fairy companion fluttered out from inside my hat. "I'm glad I'll be able to help," she replied.

Time almost seemed to stand still as I crossed the foggy Lost Woods to where the Siren's Door stood. I thought it should have been morning by the time I reached the ajar gate, which since Ganondorf's take over has never closed. But then again, things were so upside-down, I wouldn't have been surprised if it would be nighttime forever. As I crossed the Forest Maze, once patrolled by Ganondorf's Moblin lackies yet absent now, I felt like I was in a dream. The fog was almost like clouds, carrying my onward, in a sort of sleepwalk that told me which direction to go. Whenever I looked up, I could have sworn the Moon had a face, though whether it was benevolent or monstrous I could never tell. I sifted around the dead carcasses of the Moblins so quietly, they wouldn't have caught me even if they were just sleeping.

Then I ascended the Temple Checkpoint, where the captain, the Great Moblin, used to stand guard, until I savagely killed him to get to the Forest Temple. His dead body still lay silent on the ground. Perhaps, I thought, the Checkpoint served its purpose at guarding the temple. For a completely wrong cause, seeing as it was the Great Moblin that guarded it; but a purpose all the same. It had been a nightmare trying to get past the Great Moblin's earthquakes, yet when I did I had the strongest sensation that I committed sacrilege by killing the guard.

And finally, I arrived at the top of the stairs. There before me stood the Sacred Forest Meadow, pristine and delicate like it always was, at the bottom of a sort of earthen cauldron. Looming above my head was my enemy, the structure which caused so much pain since my coma: the Forest Temple. It looked just like it had when I left it: abandoned, ancient, and haunted. The staircase was still broken, but I knew how to get up to it. A simple flick of my hookshot and I was hooked onto the dead tree outside the temple. All I had to do was reel myself in, and I was there.

And there, standing in the doorway, she was waiting for me. Leaning against an old, ivy-covered pillar, she waited. The apple of my heart, flower of my mind: my dear Saria. My resolve suddenly faltered; I knew what it was I had to do, and yet I did not know how. So it was she who dropped the bombshell.

"Link," she greeted as I stepped indoors and out of the pale moon, "I've been waiting for you." There was something different about her, something _mature_. She was always the most mature Kokiri, but this time...it was almost as if she were an adult. I glanced at her almost with shock; her tone of voice was shaky and nervous. "Link, I know why you came," she whispered.

"R-Really?" I stammered. "I didn't realize you knew--"

"You came to take me home. I knew that since the moment I saw you in the sanctuary."

"O-Oh... That. Well, yes, I did come to take you home. And no Poe is going to stop me!"

"Link... He doesn't have a choice. Sit down, please." I stared at her. Was this my Saria? The entry room of the Forest Temple was almost as forest-like as the outside; there were several tree stumps I could sit on, so we sat on two across from each other. Saria looked at me with longing eyes and took a deep breath. "Link, there's something I have to tell you." Here it came... "I cannot leave the temple until Ganondorf is dead." I felt my spirit break right then and there. "But it isn't because of what that Poe was saying. It's because... Almost every race in Hyrule has a sort of wise person; somebody who can solve everybody's problems--for the most part--and who can stand up in times of crisis and say, 'I know what to do! Just do as I say, and things will be alright!' A _knowledgeable_ person. A _strong_ person. Their destinies are forever connected to the temples of Hyrule. The Forest Temple... The Fire Temple... The Water Temple... The Shadow Temple, Spirit Temple, Light Temple, even the Earth and Wind Temples, they all bind their fates with individuals who can lead their people in times of need. These individuals are called 'Sages.' It's an honorable title, one that's almost as good as 'King' or 'Queen.'"

I nodded. "I've heard this before. Rauru was the Hylian Sage, the Sage of Light." I had difficulty saying those words. This dream was quickly turning into a sort of light nightmare; one that wasn't horrifying and terrible, but one that was sad.

Saria nodded back. "Yes, you are well informed. Back when you and that Poe were arguing, I heard a voice speaking to me and passed out. While I was unconscious, Rauru spoke to me and told me everything. He told me what you are doing for Hyrule; he told me about Ganondorf and what he has done to the land of Hyrule; he even gave me evacuation plans into Holodrum, in case my people need it."

"Your people...?"

"Link, in that moment, I was awakened. He told me who I was--who I _really_ was. All my life, I've felt that strange calling from the temple...and now I know why! Link, I am the Sage of the Forest!"

"That... That's wonderful!" I cheered, trying to be positive. "T-That means... I've done all I had to do here! Tomorrow I can set out for Death Mountain... And...and when this is all done... You and I can be together again?"

Saria jumped to her feet and grabbed my hands, a smile blooming like a flower all over her face. "Yes, exactly! Oh, Link, I'm so glad you understand! And it all works out too, because I can also take care of my role as guardian for the temple while I wait! And we can still talk with Saria's Song too, isn't this perfect? Rauru just has to give me a few pointers; help me learn the ropes. But I've worked everything out with the new Deku Tree already; as a bonus for being a Sage, he'll let me leave the forest so that when this is all over, we can go traveling! Isn't that exciting?" I nodded my head happily. I could hardly contain my excitement; this all sounded like a dream come true. "You and I, the first two Kokiris to ever leave the forest!" My smile just dropped. I mean, it just vanished. Instantly. I was immediately reminded of what I had come to tell her.

"Saria," I mumbled. She didn't hear me, she was so busy bobbing up and down in sheer joy. I'd never seen her act so childish; that was a word I'd never even used to describe her before! But she was like a happy little girl, pleased with everything in the world. And here I was, about to ruin all the fun. "Saria," I repeated, raising my voice, "please calm down!"

She stopped obediently. "Why, what is it?" Her smile started to vanish, though very slowly as she gradually realized my excitement had vanished.

"Saria, there's something I have to tell you." I could hardly look at her. I soon found myself looking at everything _but_ her.

"What is it, what's the matter? Aren't you happy for us?"

"Saria, I'm not what you think I am." I stood up gloomily and peered down at her. She was only a little above my waist in height. She stood below me, so small, so innocent... I could see the reaction before it happened. I was going to destroy the happiness and love this girl had always seen in me, and yet it was the only right thing to do.

"What... What are you talking about?" she asked carefully, looking up at me with those shining green eyes.

"Saria... I'm..." I braced myself for the blow. "I'm... I'm not a Kokiri! There, I said it!"

What little remained of Saria's smile evaporated in an instant. She stared up at me with a new face, one that seemed almost terrified at my gigantic presence. I knew she'd believe me; she knew I wasn't one to lie. The love of my life began to stumble backwards away from me. "Then," she stuttered, her voice trembling, "what _are_ you? What have I loved all these years? Surely not a monster? A Skull Kid, perhaps? You must be; the Deku Tree would kill anything else."

I broke my eye contact with her and just stared at the mossy floor, hoping she wasn't as frightened as her trembling voice made her sound. "Believe me, I never thought I was anything but a Kokiri all my life... It was just this very night that the new Deku Tree told me that I was a...a Hylian."

"A...a _Hylian_?" Saria gasped, backing away even further. "But... But we were told all Hylians were not to be trusted! Why, until I met Rauru I...I almost hated them! I've heard so many terrible stories from the Skull Kids... But...surely you jest! The Deku Tree would have killed you long ago, maybe turned you into a Skull Kid, or--"

"Look, for whatever reason he left me to live a life thinking I was a Kokiri. The new Deku Sprout told me the old Deku Tree knew I was a Hylian all my life. He knew I would find out one day; and yet he let me live a lie!" I pounded a stump with my fist angrily and Saria distanced herself even further. I caught a glimpse of her face, though, and I could see she was trying her best to trust me. I was quickly finding it difficult to trust her, however. "And what about you!?" I yelled suddenly, glaring at her. "Did you know? You knew me since I was 'born.' Have you been lying to me this entire time?"

Saria shook her head timidly. "No, Link, I'd never do something like that to you! I was as much in the dark as you were! I... None of the Kokiri knew you weren't one of us! I know Mido always said you weren't, but... It was just his sick sense of humor and bullying. We all found you lying in a cradle in front of the Deku Tree, and he told us you were a new arrival! We kept wondering who the parent Kokiri were until he told us they were to remain anonymous. We were never to ask about your history; I didn't know you were a Hylian, honest!" She shrank back behind a pillar when I didn't cease my glare. For that split second, I honestly hated her. "Please, Link, I beg of you!" she pleaded softly. "Don't be angry with your friends!"

Mido would have called me a big softy on that one, but I think he doesn't know the difference between Ganondorf and his own two feet. I saw the terror in Saria's eyes, and suddenly I realized what I was doing. I looked down and discovered I had unconsciously drawn my bow, and I had an arrow loaded and pointing directly at Saria's heart. I stared at the bow in horror for a moment, then back at Saria. Instead of seeing a cruel girl who lied to me all these years, I saw once again the emerald blossom who had been my best friend since I was born--Kokiri or not. "Please, Link!" she whispered. "I love you!"

And then a new image seemed to wrap itself around Saria; not the image of a best friend, but the image of somebody who I loved as more than a best friend, somebody who I truly wanted to spend the rest of my life with. I looked back down at the bow and arrow, and with a new resolve I aimed it at the wall away from us and fired. The arrow split in half on impact; and with it, my rage. "Saria..." I called, almost crying for the damage I nearly caused. "Saria... I love you too!" No sooner did my arms become outstretched than the forest angel flew towards me, and putting our size differences aside we embraced. "Saria?" I asked.

"Yes?"

"I was wondering... And have been since you first showed me the meadow down below... Will you...dance with me again? The Minuet of Forest?"

There was a quiver in Saria's eyes, and I thought I caught the glimmer of a tear. "Link?" she said after a moment's pause.

"Yes?"

"I accept."

There was no light in the temple's entry room apart from the candles against the front door and our two fairies hovering above us. Yet it was enough light for us to dance. Saria could no longer reach high enough to get around my neck, and I couldn't reach around her waist because it was so low, so instead we flipped. I but my giant hands on the back of her neck, and she put her arms up around my own waist, and we stood for a moment just looking into each other's eyes. Then, with a bow to each other, Saria pulled her foot back, and we commenced.

First we just bounced about the chamber, slowly and carefully, revolving whenever we needed to turn. I knew the exact movements she was about to make, and she knew mine. Perhaps it was some light in our eyes, or maybe the fairies whispered the directions, but in any case it felt like magic. And then, without introduction, I tried something new, something I had learned while square dancing with Malon. I bent down, and with a little nudge I twirled her around and cast her away, still grasping a hand so that no matter where in the world she went, she'd always be there with me. I then drew her back, and she did the same for me. Our dance then picked up speed, though certainly never fast, and we had ourselves a graceful waltz like the changing of the seasons.

The entire time my eyes were glued to her's, and her's to mine. Looking into her stare I saw the morning sun rising above the hills. I could imagine her seeing something of a similar sort in mine. We promenaded around the entry hall, not a single care in the world. For all I cared, Ganondorf could take over all of Hyrule, just as long as Saria and I could be together forever. As we bounded across the floor, I sparked up a question I had been dying to ask since speaking with the Deku Tree Sprout. "Saria?" I asked. "Do you still love me, even if I'm a Hylian?"

She made a slight giggle, one of those mature sort of laughs that you'd normally see royalty doing at a ball in Hyrule Castle or something. Saria was certainly a princess of a Kokiri, if there ever could be such a thing. "Link, I would love you even if you were a hideous Moblin," she laughed. "Of course I still love you. And do you love me, even though I'm a tiny little Kokiri?"

I nodded. "Saria, there isn't a Hylian in the world who could say no." Without another word, without even missing a beat in our dance, I bent down and kissed her straight on the lips. For the first time in my life, Saria actually seemed to leave her typical colors of green and turned a bright red. And yet it was only for a moment, and there we remained in an unbreaking embrace. When it finally ended and I stood straight, we continued to careen across the dance floor for hours more, as if all time had frozen.

When the sun finally rose outside and our feet were blistered, we finally stopped. I took a step away from the blossom of the forest and bowed, and she in turn curtsied. "Saria, my dear, I'm afraid the time has come for me to depart. Darunia, your song's biggest fan, awaits my presence on Death Mountain."

"I wish I could come with. But instead, it seems my duties for this quest must take place a little closer to home." She then raised her arms into the air before me. "Link, there's something Rauru said I should give you." Above the little Kokiri girl there materialized a green disc emblazoned with the symbol of the Forest Temple.

"What is it?" I asked.

"It's the Forest Medallion, the thing Phantom Ganon so hungrily sought for. But he could never find it, and do you know why?" I shook my head. "Phantom Ganon had allies--the Poe Sisters--but he didn't know what made those sisters so successful, and instead believed himself to be their superior. This medallion never appeared to him because it shall only appear to those whose friendship shall lasts an eternity unbroken. That person is you, Link; despite our differences, you've proven to me that nothing can keep us from being the best of friends. And as the Sage of the Forest, I would like you to take it as proof of that undying friendship." The disc slowly drifted down into my own hand. I stared at it for a moment, and then put it in my pocket.

"Thank you, Saria," I smiled. "And I promise you, as soon as this conflict with Ganondorf is over, I shall return!" We said our good-byes, and I left the temple for the portal to Goron City. As I departed, I could feel the medallion against my chest. And I knew, without a doubt, that I would see her again. To her, the medallion symbolized friendship; but to me, it was proof that love need not be between two of the same race. Saria and I were proof that even a Hylian could love a Kokiri. In the forest ahead of me, the sun had begun to peek above the treetops. A new day had begun.

**~THE END~**

* * *

**A Note from the Author:** I won't say much so as not to spoil the mood; but I will say that two things strongly influenced the end result of this chapter. They were both musical tracks from the soundtrack of Studio Ghibli's _The Cat Returns_. The first, the music that plays during the parade of the cats in the beginning (the song is called "Procession of the Cats"), made me decide that I'd die if Twinrova didn't make it into the story somehow. The second was the waltz that plays later into the movie, during the dance sequence. When I was listening to the soundtrack today and heard that waltz, guess what sequence I had to get into the story? Turns out the dance sequence at the end was what I needed to turn this from an awkward chapter into a beautiful one.

As stated before, reviews are requested, welcome, and extremely appreciated. And I hope you enjoyed the story!


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